Nancy S. Garrett: How many more needless deaths needed before country comes to its senses?

Like many others, I am sickened and saddened by the outcome of the Trayvon Martin case. It has been almost 60 years since Emmett Till was killed by white men who were found not guilty by a jury of their racist peers. Nominally, job discrimination, interracial marriage bans and segregation are illegal. We have a black president, but, fundamentally, what has changed?

I was struck by Bob Dunn’s article covering the UMass forum and the Valley’s reaction to the Zimmerman trial. In particular, professor Tinson’s discussion with the white man in the coffee shop illustrated a pivotal point. This man had the luxury of shielding his young daughter from the ugly truths of the case. Professor Tinson, on the other hand, needed to talk about it with his son to prevent a similar tragedy in his own family.

What happened to Trayvon Martin affects us all, of every race. How many more needless deaths of young men of color will it take before this country comes to its senses?